Which place is cheaper, Kingston or La Plata?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit La Plata or Kingston?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between La Plata and Kingston can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: La Plata or Kingston?
La Plata
Just over an hour from Buenos Aires, the bustling university city of La Plata is notable for being South America's first planned city. Indeed, also known as the City of Diagonal, La Plata's intricate grid system includes diagonal streets that run through it, contributing to easy navigation but confusing intersections.La Plata is the Capital of the Province of Buenos Aires, the main Argentine state, so you will find lots of elaborate government buildings alongside leafy green plazas in this laid back as well as active city. La Plata is a happening university town with a population of over 700,000. You can walk the width of it in under an hour, stopping at trendy craft beer bars, local music joints, and great restaurants along the way. Also, football is a religion in Argentina and if you're looking for some local atmosphere, La Plata is the place to go! Two of Argentina's biggest football teams, Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata and Estudiantes de La Plata challenge each other each year. If you are around during that special day for the city, you will witness thousands of fans wearing the relevant colours heading off to watch the match and parade by calle 7.
Kingston
Kingston is Jamaica's capital city with a population of about 579,000. For being located on an island, Kingston is a very large city with several different zip codes. Not only is Kingston the cultural capital of the country, but also the commercial one as well.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Buenos Aires, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Buenos Aires.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLa Plata $8.62Kingston $109
The average daily cost (per person) in La Plata is $8.62, while the average daily cost in Kingston is $109. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for La Plata and Kingston in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLa Plata $3.47Kingston $64
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLa Plata $6.94Kingston $128
Compare Hotels in La Plata and Kingston
Looking for a hotel in La Plata or Kingston? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: La Plata Hotel Prices and Kingston Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.La Plata $2.47Kingston $30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kingston
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kingston:
- From Montego Bay Airport (MBJ): Private Transfer to Kingston: $388
- Tropical Off-Road ATV Tour with Lunch and Transfer: $280
- Port Antonio Hotel Private Roundtrip Airport Transfer from Kingston Airport(KIN): $235
- Private Airport Transfer Sangster Airport to Kingston: $229
- NMIA & Kingston transfer to Negril: $225
- Kingston Airport Private Transfer to Riu Ocho Rios: $200
- Private Transfer Kingston Airport to Jewel Grande Montego Bay: $187
- Kingston Private Airport Transfer to Accommodation in Montego Bay: $170
- Kingston : Private Airport Transfer to Montego Bay: $169
- Kingston Private Airport Transfer : $161
- Private Airport Round Trip Transfer from Montego Bay Airport to Ocho Rios : $133
- Kingston Airport Transfers to Runaway Bay: $127
Is it cheaper to fly into La Plata or Kingston?
Prices for flights to both Kingston and La Plata change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayLa Plata $3.37Kingston $27
Typical Food Prices in La Plata
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to La Plata:
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Ice Cream$0.01
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.La Plata $2.16Kingston $13
Typical Entertainment Prices in La Plata
For La Plata, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Sciencias Naturales Museum Entrance Fee$0.01
Tours and Activities in Kingston
Here are a few actual costs in Kingston for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Dunn's River Falls Party Cruise, Blue Hole with Snorkeling, free beverages: $174
- 4x4 Jeep Safari & Blue Hole Adventure from Ocho Rios: $158
- Appleton Estate Rum Tour and Tasting from Ocho Rios: $232
- Authentic Jamaican Food Experience: $140
- Blue Mountain Bicycle Tour from Kingston: $231
- Blue Mountain Bicycle Tour from Runaway Bay: $142
- Blue Mountains Coffee Private Tour from Kingston: $180
- Bob Marley Museum Tour from Kingston: $83
- Bob Marley Museum Tour from Runaway Bay: $258
- Bob Marley Museum and Devon House Kingston Day Tour: $370
- Bob Marley Museum and Devon House Kingston Day Tour: $320
- Bob Marley Museum and Kingston Sightseeing from Port Royal Cruise Port: $205
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLa Plata $1.20Kingston $11
Sample the Local Flavors in Kingston
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Kingston:
- Ocho Rios Pub Crawl and Sightseeing Tour from Ocho Rios: $185
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Plata and Kingston, we can see that Kingston is more expensive. And not only is La Plata much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since La Plata is in South America and Kingston is in Caribbean Islands, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to La Plata would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in La Plata and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Kingston would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kingston than you might in La Plata.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is La Plata Expensive? and Is Kingston Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, La Plata or Kingston?
Kingston has a larger population, and is about 35% larger than the population of La Plata. When comparing the sizes of La Plata and Kingston, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
When is the best time to visit La Plata or Kingston?
La Plata has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Kingston experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit La Plata or Kingston in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to La Plata as well as Kingston. The warm climate attracts visitors to Kingston throughout the year.
In the summer, La Plata is cooler than Kingston. Typically, the summer temperatures in La Plata in January average around 25°C (77°F), and Kingston averages at about 29°C (83°F)in July.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Kingston. In the summer, La Plata often gets less sunshine than Kingstonin July. La Plata gets 191 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Kingston receives 254 hours of full sun.
La Plata usually gets more rain in January than Kingstonin July. La Plata gets 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while Kingston receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyLa Plata 25°C (77°F)Kingston 29°C (83°F)
Should I visit La Plata or Kingston in the Autumn?
Both Kingston and La Plata are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Kingston because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In April, La Plata is generally much colder than Kingstonin October. Daily temperatures in La Plata average around 18°C (65°F), and Kingston fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
It's quite sunny in Kingston. La Plata usually receives less sunshine than Kingston during autumn. La Plata gets 156 hours of sunny skies, while Kingston receives 229 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Kingston. In April, La Plata usually receives less rain than Kingstonin October. La Plata gets 85 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Kingston receives 167 mm (6.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberLa Plata 18°C (65°F)Kingston 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit La Plata or Kingston in the Winter?
Both Kingston and La Plata during the winter are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Kingston year-round.
La Plata is much colder than Kingston in the winter. The daily temperature in La Plata averages around 12°C (53°F) in July, and Kingston fluctuates around 26°C (79°F)in January.
In Kingston, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, La Plata often gets less sunshine than Kingstonin January. La Plata gets 102 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Kingston receives 257 hours of full sun.
La Plata usually gets more rain in July than Kingstonin January. La Plata gets 57 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Kingston receives 18 mm (0.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryLa Plata 12°C (53°F)Kingston 26°C (79°F)
Should I visit La Plata or Kingston in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both La Plata and Kingston. Kingston attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the spring, La Plata is cooler than Kingston. Typically, the spring temperatures in La Plata in October average around 18°C (64°F), and Kingston averages at about 26°C (80°F)in April.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Kingston this time of the year. La Plata usually receives less sunshine than Kingston during spring. La Plata gets 167 hours of sunny skies, while Kingston receives 251 hours of full sun in the spring.
La Plata gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, La Plata usually receives more rain than Kingstonin April. La Plata gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Kingston receives 27 mm (1.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilLa Plata 18°C (64°F)Kingston 26°C (80°F)
Typical Weather for Kingston and La Plata
| La Plata | Kingston | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 25°C (77°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 18 mm (0.7 in) |
| Feb | 24°C (75°F) | 101 mm (4 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Mar | 22°C (71°F) | 108 mm (4.3 in) | 26°C (80°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
| Apr | 18°C (65°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) | 26°C (80°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) |
| May | 15°C (59°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) |
| Jun | 12°C (53°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Jul | 12°C (53°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Aug | 13°C (55°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) |
| Sep | 15°C (59°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 107 mm (4.2 in) |
| Oct | 18°C (64°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 167 mm (6.6 in) |
| Nov | 21°C (69°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) |
| Dec | 23°C (74°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) |
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.